Tam rising
by young avengers assemble
Summary: While Percy led his heroic charge against Kronos, the demigods of Camp Jupiter held back the rise of Krios. The days leading up to the battle were dark. Betrayals were made and murders committed. This is the story of Dylan, a demigod who happened to be around when the storm clouds darkened. Please review if you read, it means a lot.
1. Chapter 1

Tam rises

Summary: The story of the days leading up to the battle with Krios from the point of view of a certain son of Mars named Dylan.

An: This is a prequel to my story, The Earth shaker, that includes many of the same characters. If you haven't read the Earth Shaker, you'll be fine. If you have, I've put several 'easter eggs' in that you'll either love me or hate me for.

Chapter one

An explosion ripped the ground apart and the world shook. Heat blasted my face, fire curled around me in a stinging blaze. The cobblestone walkway shattered apart, a chunk hitting my head. All around me, market stalls collapsed in flame and dirt, sending an ash cloud high into the sky. People screamed, their cries cut off by billows of dust filling their throats. A baby wailed, the haunting sound chilling me to the bone. As eerie as the crying was, it was even worse when it suddenly stopped short. My eyes sprinkled with tears, the dust and fire urging them upward. I couldn't see straight and I didn't know if it was because of my watering eyes or because I had hit my head.

I staggered to my feet, waving dust away from my face. Most of the flames had died, but a few small blazes popped up where wooden market stalls had once stood. Shrapnel littered the ground. I had already stepped on several pieces, slicing my feet, but I didn't notice.

All I noticed were the bodies. If I was anyone else, I would have looked away, or thrown up. Instead, I stared with a sick fascination. I studied the faces, wondering what their story was, and what had been taken away from them.

My eyes fell on a familiar face and my heart dropped to my feet. Though it was charred and bloody, I knew that face. Those were the eyes that glared at me when I caused trouble at school. Those were the legs that chased me around the streets every day. They were the lips that kissed every scratch, bruise, or bump better.

Mom. The word is dry in my mouth, choking me on its way out. I lost any control I still had, and I was by her side in an instant. I yelled and screamed, my anger carrying various Farsi words into the air.

Someone slapped my chest. My eyes snapped open, the nightmare vanishing, though the images still danced in my mind. Every night, for ten years, I had dreamed the same dream. Most people had the luxury of saying it was just a dream, but when you're a demigod, it's NEVER just a dream. I hadn't been there when the suicide bomber blew up the marketplace my mom was in, but my dreams made sure I relived it every night. No fifteen year old should go through that.

I groaned and sat up, rubbing the sore spot where my bunk mate had slapped me. "Dude, you started talking in Farsi again. You know I hate it when you do that." Harrison stood over me. His floppy strawberry-blond hair covered his eyes. He was nineteen, but looked my age. He hated when anyone spoke a foreign language around him. He couldn't stand not knowing what was happening.

"Yeah, well, take it up with Morpheus." I snapped, standing up. Harrison snorted and pulled our trunks out from under my bed. I knelt down next to mine, unhinging the top. Any distraction was welcome, any way to ignore the pain.

"Gods, I need to clean this out." Harrison muttered. I glanced over and saw clothes strewn across the floor, the trunk's contents overflowing into Harrison's lap. Harrison was infamous in Camp Jupiter for his messy demeanor. I returned my gaze to my own trunk, wishing Camp Jupiter's color was something besides purple.

"Do you know how hard it is to look like the warrior you'd expect a son of Mars to be when all you have to wear are lavender tee-shirts?" Most demigods were claimed at age sixteen, but I guess I was one of the rare exceptions. I'd say Mars was proud of me, but he isn't proud of anything.

"Here, have a jacket. It'll help you look tougher." Harrison tossed me a black biker's jacket, the leather cold to the touch. It was wrinkled from being shoved in the trunk. "You can keep it. It doesn't even fit me anymore."

I shrugged it on. A bit big, but I would fit into it soon. "Common," I shoved Harrison foreword. "We're going to miss breakfast,"

He rolled his eyes. "I never imagined my adopted kid brother would be so uptight," I snorted and threw the door open. The air was crisp, but it helped clear my thoughts and wash away the lingering effects of my dream. Harrison trailed behind me, whistling a show tune.

Almost everyone was seated in the dinning hall when we arrived. Mika-my half sister and Harrison's co-centurion of the first cohort-had saved us seats with her and one of our praetors, Diego. I flopped down onto the couch, wordlessly picking at my food. "What's the matter with you?" Mika asked, not bothering to swallow her food first.

"I didn't sleep well."

"Well, you better shape up quick, 'cause you and Harry are on gate duty." Diego said sharply. Diego and I tolerated each other, more for show than anything else. Despite his older age -seventeen- I had been at camp much longer, going on my eleventh year. The son of Trivia-the god of magic- used his powers to intimidate people when needed. Half of his votes for praetor were probably given out of terror.

As much as I hated it about him, there was something to Diego you had to respect. He knew how to take his differences and use them to his advantage. A charismatic and charming person by nature, Diego almost always got what he wanted. There was something in that kind of power that I grudgingly admired. I could do a few tricks with the mist, but only the basics. If I were a rusty dagger, Diego would be Excalibur.

"Lucky us," Harrison grumbled, pushing away his food.

"Oh, cheer up. I could arrange for you to clean the bath houses instead."

"Whatever. At least you can't die cleaning a toilet."

"I can see where this conversation is going, and I'm breaking it up before it goes there." Mika held up her hands. "Harrison, tell us, how goes the grape vine?"

Harrison's face immediately changed to one of absolute joy. As a son of Bacchus, when he wasn't with the cohort, he was in the vineyard. Harrison was old enough to drink in New Rome, the age being eighteen, but he had never touched a drop of the stuff. He never needed to. From the day I met him, I knew he was different than any other demigod his age. Harrison was always happy, giddy. He got drunk by living, being in the action. It was one of the things I liked best about him.

"Well, the concord grapes got a bit dry last night-" he started. I zoned out, having heard the report a million times already. As soon as the conversation moved away from him, Diego stood, walking to another table. He stopped by a girl with long black hair and a violin strapped to her leg. She was my age. He told her something, and she laughed, obviously star-struck.

Harrison elbowed me in the ribs. I hadn't realized I'd been staring at them. "Come on, Dill. We better head to the gates before Sandra gets on us to," Sandra was our other praetor, and one I liked much better. She was older than Harrison, but still fairly young. She reminded me of my mom.

"Yeah, okay," we walked in shaky silence to the camp entrance. Harrison pulled open the door to the maintenance tunnel that would lead us to our stations. The tunnel was dark, and neither of us had brought a flashlight. I held my hand against the wall for guidance, disgusted by the slimy feeling under my fingers.

When we were halfway through the tunnel, Harrison finally spoke. "You nightmares, they're getting worse, aren't they?" It wasn't much of a question.

"Yeah." I admitted, "it feels like Mars is taunting me. He's like 'I fell in love with this awesome woman, who happened to be a freedom fighter in Iran. One day she went to investigate a suicide bombing threat, and I didn't even try to help her out. Not even if she was raising a son alone. But hey, have some dreams of her dying. At least you'll have something to remember her by.'"

"You know what you need? A girl," Harrison said. I tripped over air and fell on my hands.

"What?"

"You heard me. You get a good girl, someone to rely on, and they'll take away the nightmares. Trust me,"

"Yeah. I'm sure there's a mile long line to date an orphaned son of war."

"Oh come on. Don't be that way, you've got a lot of good stuff going for you."

"Is that so?" I tried my best to make a just-drop-it tone, but they tended not to work on Harrison.

"Sure. We'll get you a mirror sometime and you'll see. You've got some epic hair. Word on the street is the messy spiky look is in."

"I'll keep that in mind," I hissed, shoving open the door to the outside world. "But for now, can we please focus?"

"I get it, you don't want to talk about it. It's funny, a tough talking guy like you, embarrassed by girls."

"Well, with my luck, I'd end up falling in love with a child of Neptune."

"That's at least twenty years bad luck," Harrison grimaced. He leaned against the wall, rolling his spear from hand to hand. I watched the cars speed by on the highway, wondering if today would be eventful, or boring. My sword hung at my side, ready to be used if needed.

"Brown one," Harrison blurted out, socking my shoulder. A brown bug whizzed by us just moments after. I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms, partly to protect myself from anymore of Harrison's outbursts.

I was about to lie down on the ground and sleep- the nightmare sucked out any energy I had-when I heard the sounds. A girl screamed, and a slight buzzing sound echoed across the valley. The following silence startled us, silence was almost never good. Harrison straightened up, holding his spear out. I unsheathed my sword, comforted by its weight in my hand. Scanning the area, I saw nothing. Harrison pointed to the overpass above us that blocked out view of the hills.

We both backed away from it, hoping to catch a glimpse of the scene. I spotted a girl racing down the side of the hill, fear on her face. "There!"

"What's chasing her?" Harrison asked. We couldn't see anything, but we knew it was there. I heard a crunch above us on the overpass. A shadow crossed my face and a monster the size of a truck landed in front of me. Its lion's head gave me a superior look and roared like Simba on Pride Rock.

"Chimera!" Harrison screamed, grabbing the back of his -my- jacket and throwing me backward. Fire sprayed the ground, the Chimera's breath making it dance. The goat body of the Chimera turned to cut us off from the running demigod. A snake wrapped around, snapping at me. I could see the poison in its mouth.

Harrison jabbed at it with his spear, weaving through the flames. I worked my way around to the snake, a giant diamond-head the size of a person. I slashed at it but it bobbed out of the way, lashing out at me. I swung my arm out of the way, narrowly avoiding being bit. Heat seared me, making my movements sluggish. The snake was quicker than me by a long shot. We needed a distraction to stun the monster. I glanced at the highway besides me and smiled.

"Harrison! Stop fighting it! I have an idea!" I shouted.

"Are you crazy? This'll kill you in two seconds!"

"Trust me!" I heard Harrison back away, dropping his spear. The Chimera turned to face me. It opened its mouth and I decided I was seconds away from a fiery death-possibly even if this worked. I charged forward, vaguely aware of Harrison yelling at me. The Chimera's face went slightly confused, as if he was curious why I wasn't running away.

At the last minute, I dropped down into a roll. Concrete slammed into my palms and shoulder. The air rushed out of my lungs and a blast of heat told me I had narrowly avoided being burnt to ashes. I skittered out from under the Chimera's legs, standing at the edge of the highway. The whirling traffic confirmed that if I didn't die by the Chimera's hands, I'd probably still get run over, and be a slightly flatter, but just as dead Dylan.

It was the Chimera's turn to charge me. I took a step back into the highway. A car in the lane next to me honked and swerved. The Chimera was closing fast, a mere foot away from me. As jumpy as I was, somehow I was calm enough to wait. "Dylan! Dylan, move!" I blocked Harrison out. I had told him to trust me, and he would have to do it. The Chimera pounced, and Harrison screamed at me.

Now. I dove to the side, landing hard on the concrete. The Chimera sailed passed me, landing in the center of the road. A car hurtled forward, to late to brake, and slammed into it full force. It flew through the air like a kite. The Chimera landed on its side, stunned. I took the opportunity, delighted that for once, everything had worked out. I thew my sword like a knife, end over end. It collapsed into the Chimera's flesh with a satisfying thunk.

"Touchdown," I whispered horsely. The Chimera withered around, but stilled in seconds, disintegrating into black dust. Harrison stood behind me, clapping me on the back.

"Dude, I got, like, ten heart attacks, but that was awesome."

"Where's the girl?" Harrison frowned, as if we had both forgotten what had drawn the Chimera to us.

"There," he pointed. The demigod was stumbling down the hill, each step toward us a little heavier. We raced forward. It didn't take a genius to realize she was hurt. When I reached her, she could barely stand. I pulled her upright, and she clung to my arms, still folded partially over. Her eyes were the size of moons, brown, like the bug Harrison had seen earlier. Her hair was as dark as mine, but considerably longer, down to her waist and her skin was the color of the creamed coffee I had every morning. She shook, the color in her face draining.

"He's rising," she sobbed. "He's rising and there's nothing we can do to stop him," she collapsed forward against me, unconscious. Pale, Harrison pointed to her ankle. Two small pin-pricks in her leg oozed poison. The Chimera got her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

I struggled to hold the girl up. She was dead weight, the sort that was outright cruel after a huge battle. Harrison was no help, he simply stared at amazement at her. "Little help?" I begged him. He snapped out of his daze, wide eyed.

"I'll go get one of Apollo's kids," he muttered, taking off toward the door. Slowly, I lowered myself onto the ground, the girl's head on my knee. I felt light headed, the world spinning. It wasn't from the Chimera though-I would have felt it-but rather from confusion. What had the girl said? 'He's rising?'

I leaned back on my elbows, blood trickling from a cut on my forehead. It was only a minute later that Harrison rushed forward with the same girl I had seen Diego with at breakfast. She knelt down and stared at the rescued demigod.

"Help me," she commanded, holding out a pouch filled with unicorn horn powder. I sat up straighter, holding up the girls head. The power dusted her mouth, but she swallowed most of it. The medic moved down to her ankle, pouring powder directly into the wound. I winced. That had to sting. "You," the medic pointed to Harrison. "Help me carry her to camp. And you," she glared at me. "Eat this, and tell Sandra you have the day off." She shoved the rest of the powder into my hand. Harrison grabbed the girl out of my lap, hauling her to her feet. The medic snapped at him to be careful, and Harrison looked like he wanted to crawl under a rock.

I poured the powder into my mouth. It dissolved almost immediately, but it left the familiar taste of my mom's cooking. A warm feeling spread across my gut, and I quickly tossed the pouch aside. I was always careful when using the powder. It's effects were addicting, and Harrison was full of stories about those who got hooked. Most of it was him trying to rile me, but there was truth in every lie. I managed to stagger to my feet, my vision clearing a bit.

Sandra was waiting for me at the gate, her arms crossed. "I heard you had quite a day,"

"Some would say that."

"Quite the stunt you pulled." She slapped me on the back, which I chose to accept as a sign of affection. "Have the day off. I'll see you at dinner."

"You won't be at lunch?" Sandra never skipped lunch, or any meal, for that matter.

"We've called a senate meeting. There are some things that are...off. See you at dinner," she turned and strode away from me. The sudden dismissal stung, but curiosity quickly covered it. The way Sandra had said it made it obvious that the things that were 'off' also happened to be top secret.

I liked knowing secrets. I knew there was nothing someone could do to stop me from spying. Whatever the senate was discussing, there was no doubt it had to do with what the injured demigod had told me. I had questions, and I needed answers. I walked toward the barracks, acting as though I were going to bed.

I figured a new tee-shirt wouldn't hurt, since I was at the barracks anyway. The one I was wearing now was singed and probably smelled like smoke. I shoved the torn and burned clothes into my trunk. Despite the smokey smell, I kept the jacket on. I checked to make sure no one was outside, then slipped through the door.

New Rome has a sort of charm to it. A medieval city trapped in the modern world. Gravel from rocky walkways crunched under my feet, their sound leading me to the self proclaimed security checkpoint known as Terminus. Terminus was part Roman god, part TSA agent, and part high school teacher.

"Weapons?" He asked. I approached carefully and dropped my knife and sword into the holding tray. The young girl holding it beamed at me, then disappeared back behind Terminus. Most peculiar. Dylan Rise, you are not a senator, are you?"

"No, sir, but I have business here, I swear,"

Terminus grunted. "Not acceptable."

"Awww, come on. For old time's sake?" When I had first arrived at camp, I had been the person that held the weapons tray for Terminus. We had been rather close, but eventually I decided to fully commit to the legion, giving my entire existence to the study of war.

"Mmmm. Very well, but only this one time." I grinned and slapped the statue of Terminus on the back. Next stop, the senate house.

Finding a place to hide would be the difficult part. After a bit of debate, I decided it would be best to slide under an open window. Te conversation flowed easily through it. I was surprised to hear Harrison talking.

"-Sandra, first all the deserting campers. Then this mystery girl shows up and tells me that 'he's rising, and there's nothing we can do to stop it.' They have to be connected. Something's up and we both know it."

"Harrison, we've done the best we can. We have no idea what's caused the campers to leave, or the monsters to grow stronger-"

"You're lying!" Harrison shouted. My head was spinning, but I snapped back to reality when Harrison raised his voice. "We've all noticed the mist around Mount Tam growing stronger. Something's wrong and you know it." I thought back to when I had last seen Mount Tam. It had been very misty, but that wasn't unusual.

"Fine, Harrison," Sandra suddenly seemed exhausted. "What do you suggest we do?"

"I could take a group up to investigate." Diego spoke for the first time. He sounded eager. "Not a quest, exactly, but more of a inform-and-report mission." The room was silent while everyone considered that.

"All in favor?" Sandra asked. Murmurs of consent floated around the room. The vote was unanimous. "Very well, Diego, think about who you wish to take. You can announce it at dinner."

Chairs scraped across the floor, people getting up to leave. I scrambled back from my hideout, passing through Terminus with a wave. I paused to grab my weapons, then found a rock to sit on. I pinched the bridge of my nose, questions swirling around in my mind. Who was rising? Why had campers suddenly deserted camp? How many, and who? My head started to hurt. I liked problems difficult, but solvable. Right now, I was facing impossible and dangerous.

People passed me as time went on. I lost track of faces, but didn't feel the need to move. Eventually, a face passed me that I recognized. The medic that had helped Harrison and I at the gate. Her hair was tangled and her shoulders scrunched forward, but she still had the intelligent glint in her eye.

"I thought you should know, the girl's awake and talking."

"Really?" A small flame sparked in me. I wasn't sure why I cared so much. I hadn't even really met the girl.

"She said her name is Daniella, and she's asking for you."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I have a question for those of you who read The Earthshaker. Which story do you like better? Do you think the characters are represented the same (or close) to how they were in the Earthshaker? And of course, who do you ship with Dylan (if either)

Chapter three

I've made it my goal to be in the Camp Jupiter infirmary as little as possible. It reeked of bleach and the washed-out scent of blood. The silence of injury is broken by an occasional howl. I've been to the infirmary both as a patient and as a visitor and both are equally creepy. The place reminded me of friends I've lost and legionnaires I've said goodbye too. The unspoken words that one day I'll be the dying soldier always hang over the building.

I don't know how the Apollo kids stand it. The medic walked beside me, leading me stiffly to the room in which Daniella lay. "I never asked you're name," I dared to break the silence, hoping to distract myself from the infirmary's feel.

"No, you didn't." She agreed. "It's Cassie."

"Dylan. Son of Mars,"

"Legacy of Apollo and Mercury." Cassie said it without shame. Her confidence impressed me. Generally, legacies were looked down upon. Their powers were dimmer, if they had any at all.

"Double legacies are rare,"

"So is being accepted into the legion as a child." Cassie stopped abruptly, leaving me in front of a cracked open door. She motioned for me to be quiet, and pushed the door open with a creak.

Daniella lay in a white hospital bed, a light sheet pulled up to her shoulders. Someone had taken the time to brush out her raven hair, leaving it with a glossy sheen. Moisture glittered on her skin, and her eyes shimmered with sleep still in need of shaking off. "You're the gate guard?" She asked softly. Her voice reminded me of water running through a rocky stream. Flowing, but broken up here and there by a faint accent.

"That's me. My friend Harrison was the other one,"

"You could have died." Daniella's brow creased with worry. "But you saved me anyway. Why?"

The question took my breath away. I saved lives almost daily, weekly, at the least. But I had never stopped to ask myself why. I knew Cassie was watching to, waiting with the same curiosity Daniella had. "I guess...when someone dies, it feels like I've lost some kind of game, even if there was nothing I could do. My need to win is my fatal flaw."

Daniella seemed to accept this. She was silent for a moment, processing what I had said. "Do you know who your parent is?" I asked her.

"No. I'll get claimed in a few weeks." She shrugged. "What's your name?"

"Dylan."

"Dylan, do you know of a...thing, with golden armor and flames at his feet?"

"Nothing rings a bell." I regretted not being able to tell her anything, but I wondered why she would ask.

"Shame." Daniella muttered. Her eyes fluttered closed before snapping open again. Sleep clouded her face.

"I'd better go. Diego'll want to initiate you into the legion before dinner. You'll want to rest." I headed to the door and paused when Daniella called my name.

"Dylan, you'll help me, won't you? I mean, we're friends, right? You'll help me figure it out."

"Sure. Sure, I'll help." I said quickly. Daniella smiled and I slipped out the door before I was hit with another array of questions. Harrison was waiting for me outside the infirmary. His face didn't reveal any details of the senate meeting, but his arms were crossed firmly over his chest.

"How is she?"

"For someone who was poisoned this morning, she's actually doing good."

"Diego wants to initiate her as a Probatio today." Harrison tossed a worried glance toward the building. "Think she'll be ready?"

"She'll be fine. I'm thinking of standing for her."

"Fine by me. How was lunch?"

"I didn't go. I wasn't very hungry." The best lies always include a partial truth. Harrison stopped walking and grabbed my shoulder.

"Don't lie to me. I know you were spying. I can see it in your eyes. Why?"

"You heard what Daniella said. Something big is about to happen."

"Dylan, you're a good kid. You've got a big future in the legion. Don't mess it up. Keep your nose clean."

"Fine. I promise."

-  
The whole of the legion gathered outside in the field. We all stood in our cohorts, facing Diego and Sandra. Octavian- the slimy faced Auger- stood with Daniella at Sandra's side. I shifted from foot to foot, trying not to remember my own experiences on this field. I had tuned out through most of the ceremony, but I knew Daniella had arrived without reference letters. Harrison and Mika had agreed to take her into the first cohort regardless.

I waited for the one line that would be my cue. I wasn't sure why I was so insistent that I would be the one to stand for Daniella. Maybe it was the promise I had made her, before leaving the infirmary. But it felt deeper than that.

"Will anyone stand for Daniella?" Sandra shouted. Daniella's eyes met mine in uncertainty. The wind blew her hair across her face in tendrils. For a minute, I forgot all about the procedure and just starred. Harrison slapped me on the back, jolting me back to reality.

"I will!" I blurted out. "I will stand for Daniella."

"Excellent!" Diego gave me a wolfish grin that made my heart skip a beat. He shoves Daniella forward and she stumbled into the line next to me. I steadied her as best as I could and she offered me a quick smile of gratitude. Diego clapped his hands together and gave the crowd a charming grin. "Dinner time!" He announced.

Everyone surged forward, formalities forgotten in the stampede for food. I noticed Sandra staring at Diego, probably wondering who his scouting squad would be. "Dinning hall's this way," I nudged Daniella.

"Because I couldn't tell by the mass of kids heading that direction," Daniella narrowed her eyes, and I thought I had legitimately offended her, until she laughed and threw an arm around me. "I'm kidding. Let's go eat."

The hall was crowded with people, as per usual. Harrison and Mika had saved us a space at their table, barely big enough for one person. "I can sit on the ground," I waved for Daniella to take the seat, but she shook her head.

"We can both fit," she insisted, pulling me down next to her. It was a tight fit, and I was painfully aware of the proximity. Harrison grinned at me, no doubt recalling our earlier conversation in the service tunnel. I felt my ears go pink.

"So, Daniella, where do you call home?" Mika asked, pointing her fork at Daniella.

"I lived in New Delhi until I was seven. Then my parents and I moved to Chicago. What about you all?"

"Denver," Harrison supplied.

"Brooklyn," Mika added.

"Iran. Then here." I didn't put in the details of my move, but I knew Daniella picked up on the way Harrison's gaze dropped, and how Mika stopped chewing her food. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it quickly before dropping it. I was too shocked to respond. Harrison raised an eyebrow at me and I was saved from an answer by Diego. He stood up, shouting for attention.

His quest announcement. "Everybody, shut it!" He roared. "I have an announcement. We've spotted suspicious activity around Mount Tam. Tomorrow morning, I'll be leading a small group up to investigate." He paused. "We shouldn't take more than a week. Harrison, Cassie, Dylan- and I suppose Daniella, since you're responsible for her- pack your bags."

My eyes met Cassie's from across the room. She grinned at Diego, love struck. Of course Diego's bringing his girlfriend, I thought bitterly. Daniella turned to me. "I guess orientation will have to wait."


	4. Chapter 4

(AN: in case you didn't know Crius is the Roman form of Krios. Sun is Hyperion and Saturn is Kronos.)

Chapter four.

It took all my will power to get out of bed in the morning. It was the same nightmare, the same energy-sucking dream. The floor of the barracks chilled me to the bone as I changed my clothes. I had set aside a backpack filled with traveling necessities last night, and I slung it over my shoulder.

Harrison had already left, his bed uncharacteristically made. Across the room, Daniella swung her feet off her mattress. It was obvious she'd been awake for a long time. Her eyes were clear and alert, and she was dressed in the Camp Jupiter clothes Sandra had given her last night. "Do we have a plan?" She whispered to me.

"We're meeting by the gate. Do you have your stuff?"

"This is all I've got." Daniella waved her arms to the clothes she wore.

"Then let's go," I pulled the door open and felt cold air brush my cheek. It was early, still before the required wake-up time. The camp was utterly silent and Daniella and I walked soundlessly.

Diego, Harrison and Cassie were waiting for us when we arrived at the gate. Diego held a sick smile that told me I wouldn't like what he was about to say. "Follow me," Diego waved us through the service tunnel. He urged us forward as quickly as possible and soon the sounds of the busy highway punctuated the silence.

Parked in front of me was a grey Ford, probably twenty years old. "I got us a ride." Diego grinned, " I shielded it with the mist. We'll cut our travel time in half with this baby,"

"You act like it's a Mustang instead of a Ford Escape," Daniella snorted.

"For saying that, you sit in the middle." Diego snapped. He disappeared around the car, and I heard the car unlock.

"Shotgun." Cassie dove into the passenger seat before anyone could stop her. Daniella gave an indignant huff and slid into the middle, Harrison and I flanking her.

"Put on your seat-belts," Diego chided. "Safety first."

"Why? This thing goes from zero to sixty in what, a hour?" I snickered. Daniella elbowed me with a glare and I obediently clicked my seat belt into place.

Progress was slow going. California traffic didn't have a rush hour. It had a rush day, all day, every day. Harrison and Cassie had both fallen asleep out of sheer boredom. I went through my supplies at least ten times, sorting through clothes, weapons, food and an old blackberry cell phone that was turned off at all times. I'd never used it and hopefully, I never would. The only number in it was Sandra's. Diego turned on a terrible radio station, playing music that made my skin crawl.

Daniella fidgeted in her seat, looking at me. She seemed ready to explode, and I couldn't blame her. I made an attempt at small talk. "You said you lived in New Delhi for a while. How was it?"

"Terrible and wonderful. Did you know India has a caste system?" She shook her head. "It's not a pleasant thing." I caught the meaning behind the words. Daniella must have been near the bottom of the system.

"I'm sorry,"

"That's why some 'relatives' sent my dad and I money to move to Chicago." She made air quotes when she said relatives.

"You think it was your parent?"

"It would make sense, considering my father never mentioned cousins or such in America before then." She shrugged. "You lived in Iran? Was it any better?"

"I only lived there until I was five. The place itself wasn't too bad. The people were nice. Violence didn't find its way into my town...often."

"What happened when it did?" Daniella looked at me with wide eyes. This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have right now.

"I'm sorry. You have to be a level five friend to unlock my tragic backstory." I turned away and pretended to go to sleep. Daniella put her hand on my shoulder.

"Dylan, pretending like it didn't happen won't make it go away." She said. I sighed and looked at her.

"My mom died, okay? She was blown up in a marketplace. A suicide bomber demolished it. We never learned who he was."

Daniella was spooked into silence, then said, "oh."

"Yeah, I get that a lot." The ride passed in silence after that, the only noise the beat of the car's radio.

Around eight PM, Diego pulled over to the shoulder of the road. "We're only a few miles from Mount Tam. We can rest for the night and scout it out in the morning. Someone can sleep in the trunk is they want more room."

"Dibs." Harrison called. He slithered ungracefully over his seat. A loud thunk told us he had landed hard on the other side. Daniella slid over to give us more room. Harrison was knocked out in a matter of minutes. No matter how long he napped, he could still sleep soundly all night. I leaned my head against the window and watched cars go by. No matter how early I had woken up, it was hard to sleep. I wasn't in the mood to watch my mom die. Daniella shifted to face me again and I braced myself for the questions.

"Why did you stand for me?" She cocked her head. "You should know I'm not a very useful ally."

"Maybe I wasn't looking for an ally."

"Then what were you looking for?"

"Maybe a friend,"

"But you already have friends." Daniella said.

I groaned. "Then maybe I'm looking for something else." Daniella laughed.

"We're all looking for 'something else.'" She smiled and I got the feeling she knew what something else was better than I did. Daniella bumped my shoulder. "Sleep well, Dylan."

"Yeah. You too."

I slept anything but well. For once, the nightmare was different. I stood in a stone room. There didn't seem to be an entrance of exit. There were no torches or lights, but the room shone with brightness. Standing off to the side of the room were two giants, one wrapped in a blazing inferno. "Crius, they approach. If they get closer, they can ruin everything." He rumbled.

The other giant - Crius - laughed, the room shaking with the sound. "Don't worry, brother. I have a surprise in store for them. And besides, I have a man on the inside." My blood chilled. I recognized them now. They were Titans, and they were supposed to be dead.

"I wouldn't trust the kid to follow through. I want them stopped now, before they cause trouble." The other Titan growled. If I was right, he was Sun, Saturn's right hand Titan.

Crius laughed. By now, I was certain I hated the sound of Titan laughter. "They'll be in for a surprise," he said. "A terrible, terrible surprise." Sun appeared unconvinced, but he didn't argue.

"When we meet again, they will be dead. Dead, understand? Every last one of them." Sun bellowed. Crius smiled.

"But of course, dear brother. Now go, and let me attend to your demand." Sun snorted and the fire at his feet broadened to cover his body. I backed behind a rock, but the wave of heat still washed over me. The air shimmered with the fire's glow. It felt like I had been shoved in a furnace.

When the fire subsided, Sun was gone. I woke up to a cold hand on my arm.


	5. Chapter 5

(Roses are red/violets are blue/I promise I'll love you/if you review.)

Chapter five

Daniella leaned over me, her eyes lit up with concern. She had a hand on my shoulder, cold as ice. "Dylan, you're too hot." Her voice danced in my ear. I sat up, disoriented, and tried to gather my scorched mind.

"Thanks, but now is hardly the time to comment on my appearance." I raised my hand to my forehead. It came away glistening in sweat. I was boiling under Harrison's jacket.

"Don't flatter yourself. You really look ready to combust. Are you feeling okay?"

"I just need to walk." I opened the car door, careful not to wake anyone. Cold mountain air blasted my face. The wind smelled of mint and eucalyptus, choice scents for monsters. It couldn't be a good sign. I ran a hand through my hair, leaving it in spikes.

By demigod standards, I didn't have many prophetic dreams, just run of the mill nightmares, but I couldn't shake this one off. Maybe Daniella sensed the cloud looming over me, because she crawled out of the car after me. We walked across a strip of the road, cars breezing past us in the morning rush. "You can tell me, you know." Daniella whispered.

"Tell you what?"

"Anything. Absolutely anything."

I swallowed. "Well, to start, everyone pictures me as the kind of guy to own a German Shepard, but really, I just want a Calico cat. Despite the biker's jacket, I want to drive a minivan."

"Is that so?" A smile crested Daniella's face. She paused before asking the question I dreaded. "What did you dream about?"

I stopped walking and drug my hand through my hair again. There was no way I was telling Daniella there might be a traitor. "It means we're in a lot more danger than we realize. I don't think we realize what we're up against."

Daniella furrowed her brow. She opened her mouth to reply, but she was cut off by a car horn. Diego was awake, and rearing to go. I trudged back toward the car and Daniella grabbed my hand. "Dylan, despite whatever it is you're not telling me, I trust you. We'll be just fine as long as you're with us." She leaned forward and brushed her lips across my cheek. "Never forget that not everyone is out to get you. Some of us actually like you."

I had gone outside to cool off, but I'm certain I boarded the car hotter than when I left. Harrison nudged me with his elbow. "I'm not saying I was right about her, but I was right about her." He whispered. I gave him my best I'll-kill-you-later glare.

"Next stop, Mount Tam." Diego called back and threw the car into motion. I found myself nervously pulling my sword out of its sheath, then putting it back in. In the front seat, Cassie removed her violin from the strap that held it to her leg. She plucked the strings in no real order, her fingers stretching across the instrument.

It was only a few minutes before a light rain started tapping on the windows. I felt Daniella watching me, as if she was worried. I fell into a hazy disconnect, not asleep, but not fully awake. Boredom had lulled me into a sedative state. I didn't wake up until my door was smashed in. The car jerked to the side, and my seat belt dug into my skin. Pain exploded on my shoulder as the door crashed into rained down on my head. Diego yelled something that consisted of ancient swearing. Daniella screamed. Through the broken window, I could see a car pulling away.

Diego pulled us to a shaky stop on the shoulder of the road. He gave us pointed looks as the other driver parked next to us. It wasn't a mistake. They meant to hit us. Diego kicked his door open, the air around his hands shimmering, a sure sign he was honing his powers. Cassie tumbled out, holding her violin bow. She grinned at me and twisted the knob at the end. It snapped into a full sized compact bow, dark as night. I raised my sword upon my exit. Daniella and Harrison shuffled out behind me, less enthusiastic.

The driver's door swung open and a woman stepped out. Woman was a loose term. She had a shirt made of scales, fitting like armor. Her waist was encircled by snake skin. A boa constrictor wrapped around her upper arm like a bracelet. It was a shame, really. I liked snakes. The woman had no eyes, just black sockets. Monster would be the correct term for her.

"What is that?" Daniella hissed. I pressed a dagger into her hand.

"Stay behind me. That's Lamia. She was forced to eat her own children by Juno. Since then, she roams around, looking for demigods to snap up as a treat. She's a daughter of Trivia."

"Diego's mom? I see the family resemblance." Daniella tried to hide it with a joke, but her voice shook like an earthquake - though I'd never been in an earthquake before, so that might be extreme. I gave her a pointed look and Daniella slid behind the car before Lamia noticed her.

"Beautiful children," Lamia snarled. Her voice likened the hiss of a snake. "Beautiful blood." Her hand shot forward and the mist warped around me. Where there has been a freshly paved road, a battle scared market-place stood.

_Not real. Not real._

But if it wasn't real, why was I hearing the screams of the wounded? Why could I smell the smoke? I felt a hand on my arm, shaking me. Someone said something, but I couldn't understand what. A hard object slammed into my stomach, knocking me to the ground. The image shattered, and I saw Lamia standing over me. She wore the look of a disapproving mother, as if she didn't grasp why a kid would be against being eaten.

Lamia's spell still held the others captive. Even Diego couldn't counter her. Her vision paralyzed me. No one could help me, myself included. Lamia held out her arm and the Boa slithered down, landing on my chest.

I decided I didn't like snakes after all. My mind screamed at my body to move, but somewhere along the way, the message was disrupted. The Boa wrapped around my neck. My throat crushed in, and a burning feeling started to build in my lungs. Lamia smiled at me, a psychotic grin that only widened as my vision narrowed. The worst part was trying to beg with my eyes and knowing she didn't see or care. I didn't want those hideous eye sockets to be the last thing I saw.

My head spun and all I could see was the curling tail of the Boa. I registered a scream but it was like hearing underwater. A weed near my face burst skyward. That's it, I thought. Hallucinations are a sign of death. All around me weeds twirled into the air. I saw one dive down toward me and the weight on my chest lifted. The Boa's lock on my neck fell away and I gasped for air.

I could move again, Lamia's spell broken. I raised my neck and wished I hadn't. Weeds the size of Jack's beanstalk held Lamia and the Boa in the air, choking them with leafy vengeance. One minute they were small leaves sticking up through the cracks of the asphalt, and the next they towering over me. A shadow passed over me and I sat up. Daniella rose behind me, her hands thrust out to the plants. Anger warped her face into a terrifying mosaic of revenge. She was unrecognizable.

Lamia withered, clawing at the vines like a cat. Her mist tricks shattered as she screamed her fury. Daniella approached her, wielding her dagger. "You would have killed him," she stated. "And I can't have that." Lamia's restraints jerked her downward. Daniella didn't blink as she drove the blade into Lamia's heart. The wail that followed was unearthly, and I'd be lucky if I had a nightmare about it only once a week. It held agony, pain, panic and the promise for revenge.

Black dust flamed across Daniella's face and dusted the ground beneath her. The Boa fell from the vines as its master died. It hit the ground in the shape of a bronze bracelet, curled like a snake. The mist visions released the others and they blinked in confusion. I pulled myself to my feet and staggered forward. Daniella held up the bracelet. She didn't seem to know what to do with it.

"It's a spoil of war," my voice was harsh and raspy. "Like a medal of honor." Daniella shrugged and slid the band on.

Behind me, Harrison groaned and held his head. Diego clenched his fists. "How did I do that?" Daniella asked me. The weeds she had commanded had already shrunk down to a normal size.

"Your parent," I murmured. "She must be Ceres, goddess of crops." Daniella hung her head.

"I was hoping for someone...cooler."

"Right now, Ceres is enough. That was some epic fighting."

Daniella gazed at me cautiously. "You're not hurt, are you?" She skimmed the bruise that started to form on my neck.

"I'll survive."

"How did Lamia find us? I thought Diego hid the car."

"I'll tell you how." Diego stood against the car. He held the hilt of his knife like a lifeline, but he was unhurt. Harrison and Cassie exchanged worried looks. "The shield was safe as long as it wasn't tampered with. Someone on the inside would have to do some big mist magic. And there's only one person here who could bypass my wards, isn't there, Dylan?"

"Diego, I swear, whatever happened to the car, I didn't do it! I can only do small tricks, you know that," I held up my hands in an attempt to calm him down.

"Or were you only pretending your magic was limited?" Diego challenged.

"I-"

"Get out, Dylan. I knew it was a mistake taking you, Proditor."

Proditor. Traitor. They thought I had done this to them. Daniella looked suspicious of Diego's claim, but moved farther from me none the glared at me, betrayed. Harrison narrowed his eyes, caught between his authority and his friend. His voice of reason could tip the scales to my favor. He held my eye for a minute, but dropped his gaze and hung his head. "I thought you were with us, Dylan."

Diego smiled triumphantly. "Get in the car, you three. We'll leave the traitor to his fate."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

"Diego, I think you're being irrational." Harrison said for the fifteenth time. He was trying to stand up for me in his own way. "There's no proof that Dylan did it. Lamia's a mist manipulator. She could have done it," he was taking back what he had said earlier. Too bad he couldn't have said that in the first place.

"The wards have to be disabled by someone on the inside." Diego snapped. "They had to be disabled before Lamia could even find us."

"But that doesn't-"

"Either you're with us, or you're against us. You can stay on the quest, or you can stay with the filthy traitor. He's lucky I'm not killing him here and now." Diego shouted. Harrison hung his head, giving me a sad look before sliding to Cassie's side, helping her gather arrows that had spilled out of her quiver.

Diego had the decency to toss my backpack to me before wheeling away with the car, held together by his powers. I should have left it alone, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to go down, something that the others weren't prepared for. I had seen a Titan in my dream, and he mentioned a possible traitor. I knew I needed to get to Mount Tam and warn them. If I didn't get to them, they would die.

And that's how I ended up in the bed of a pickup truck. I know, I know, surprise hitchhiking isn't exactly classy, but it got me much closer to Mount Tam. The getting on part had been easy, but psyching myself up to jump out was more difficult. Though traffic had cleared out, there was no guarantee I wouldn't be run over on the spot. The racing road beneath me didn't look inviting, either. I closed my eyes and pictured Daniella in danger, put in peril by a threat I could warn her of. It was enough to motivate me.

I grabbed the edge of the pickup's bed and hauled myself over. I had an idea of how much force there would be, but nothing could prepare me for the feeling of the pickup hurling away and slamming me to the ground. Gravel and asphalt dug into my hands knees. Pointier rocks pierced the front of my tee shirt and dug into my skin. I groaned and rolled onto my back, my backpack digging into me. Definitely not one of my more graceful moments. I stumbled to my feet and off the road.

Mount Tam towered before me, a large monument of rock and dirt. I knew there was no way on Earth I could successfully climb all the way up to the top. Not only would it require a ridiculous amount of strength, but the tip of Mount Tam was coated in thick mist, forming clouds. Seeing would be difficult at best.

It may have gotten me kicked off of our quest, but my limited mist magic was good for something. I thrust out my hand and pictured the image of stairs, hundreds of stairs climbing to the top. Dirt fell away and the mountain molded into a new shape. It certainly wasn't on the Titanic's Grand Staircase level, but it would do. Besides, the Titanic crashed and burned. I was hoping my mission wouldn't do the same. The stairs were sturdy, and would hold my weight. Still, I wasn't optimistic. As mentally exhausting as it was to create the stairs, climbing them would still be the greatest workout of my life. I put one foot in front of the other and climbed.

I'm pretty sure I passed out at least once, maybe twice, but I made it to the top. The stairs dissolved and I face planted onto the dirt. I fumbled around into a sitting position. Cold granite pressed into my back. My brain was so dysfunctional at that point that it took me a few minutes to realize that a granite wall had no place on a mountain.

I looked behind me. A polished stone building rose into the clouds. It wasn't the only one. An entire city of white stone coated the mountain. The architecture was ancient and some of the buildings had started to crumble under their age. I scrambled to my feet. How had a Roman city found its way up here?

Something skittered in the stone behind me. I turned around and felt a sharp knife at my throat. "Why did you do it?" Daniella held a knife to my throat. The fury in her eyes made her unrecognizable.

"I didn't do it, Daniella!"

"I don't believe you. My dad warned me about your type before he sent me to Lupa. He said that Mars' children will stop at nothing to pick a fight. Is that why you did it, Dylan? You wanted a fight? I thought better of you. I thought you were different."

"Daniella please-"

"I could have died. Did that even bother you?" She forced the knife even closer to my throat, drawing a trickle of blood. I could have disarmed her by now, but I didn't. I needed her to understand.

"Daniella, I swear on the soul of my mother, I didn't do anything." Daniella narrowed her eyes. For a minute, I was sure she would stab me without a second glance.

"You're lucky that I know how much she means to you." Daniella snorted. She lowered her blade and stepped away. Breathing came a little easier. "Dylan, why are you here? If Diego finds you, he'll kill you without a second thought."

"It's a long story, but I need you to stay with me and believe me, okay?" Daniella nodded. "Remember this morning, when I had that breakdown?"

"I have ADHD, not Amnesia."

"I had a dream. I was here, in the ruins. Two Titans were there, Sun and Crius. They mentioned a traitor. I didn't want to tell you, I wasn't sure who I could trust. We're up against an evil none of us are prepared for. You have to get Diego to forfeit the mission, or hold it off until backup arrives."

Daniella gave me a determined nod. "I'll do it." She turned in the direction of the camp. Seeing her ready to leave again made my heart twist.

"Wait," I called. Before I lost my courage, I spun her around and kissed her. She made a small surprised noise, but didn't pull away. I pulled away, catching my breath. "Your father was wrong, Daniella. I am different, and I do care about you."

Daniella stood on her tiptoes to kiss me. "I'll see you again soon." Then with a flash of black hair, she was gone.

I dared to sneak closer to hear the conversation. A pile of boulders hid me from the eyes of the others. Cassie, Diego and Harrison sat in a small circle between ruins. Diego polished his dagger with a white rag. Daniella sat down in between Harrison and Cassie. "I should have told you before," she said. "But I had a dream. There were Titans, not too far from here. We should postpone the mission, we're not prepared for them."

"What makes you so sure?" Harrison asked. My heart sank when I saw how much of the light and naive look had drained from him.

"They have help from the inside. Dylan wasn't the traitor." She said, looking everyone in the eye.

"Well, you aren't wrong." Diego said. I moved forward, but I was too slow. Diego slammed his blade into Harrison's stomach. He doubled over, falling onto the ground. His shout of pain rang through the air like a gunshot. Blood poured through his stomach, leaking through the hand he put up to stop it.

Cassie screamed and rushed forward. Diego stopped her short, holding a sword to her neck. "None of your healing tricks, girl. Both of you ignorant brats, come with me." He hauled Daniella to her feet. "Now that I got that Dylan out of the way, there's no one to save you."

Diego pushed the girls forward, his sword ensuring they didn't try anything. I wanted to run forward, to help, but I knew Diego would only capture me. There was nothing I could do, nothing but watch. I could only watch as Diego dragged his girlfriend and the girl I had just kissed into a tall building.

I could only watch as my best friend bled out on the stone, unconscious, and far past my help.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter six

I felt the fabric of the world unravel beneath me. Diego drug Cassie and Daniella into a stone tower, finally out of sight. I rushed forward to my dying- probably already dead- friend. Harrison lay in the dirt, the ground stained red beneath him. His eyes flickered up to me, locking on mine. "You weren't the traitor." He coughed out. "You didn't-" his eyes glazed over and I saw his consioucness fade away.

"Harrison! Harrison, stay with me!" I grabbed his shoulders. Was it possible for someone to be so cold so soon? I backed away, feeling tears rush forward. For the first time, the inevitable possibility of war crashed down on me. Diego hadn't been on our side, and now he had the two other people that had made up our army. We needed support.

I threw my backpack on the ground and dumped its contents on the ground. I fumbled through the clothes and beef jerkey packets to find my cell phone. It was a risky move. Service was iffy at best here and as soon as I dialed, any allies Diego had would know my exact location. It was suicide, but I would die in order to stop collacteral damage to the world. I took a deep breath and dialed the number of one of the only phones in Camp Jupiter - Sandra's. With each ring, I felt tension rise between my ribs.

She didn't pick up, but I left a voicemail. "Sandra, it's Dylan. I only have a few seconds, and I won't be able to call again but I need you to get the legion up Mount Tam as quickly as possible. The mission...the mission wasn't what we thought it was. And neither was Diego. Harrison is dead, and I can't gaurantee Daniella's or Cassie's safty. Just get the legion up here." I snapped my phone shut, a sinking feeling in my gut. I turned and chucked the phone as far as I could, hoping to buy myself a few minutes by throwing the monsters off. Pulling my sword out, I ran into the building Diego had entered.

Building wasn't exactly the right word for it. It was tall, like a office building, but its arcetecture revealed it was slightly more important than Staples' corporate headquarters. Collums scaled up the sides, and magnificent statues perched along outcropings. The inside modeled what might have once been a temple or alter. Small braizers held batches of plants, incense, maybe. In a dark corner, a wood ladder ascended into a dark hole in the roof.

It was too easy; I knew that. If this was where Daniella and Cassie were, there should be guards and traps everywhere. It was clearly a trap, they were trying to lure me into a false sense of security. Logic told me to turn back, to wait for Sandra or run for my life. My heart told me I had to try.

I grasped the ladder in my hands and pulled myself up. The second floor was nowhere near as glamorous as the first. No light touched the room. Thick layers of dust coated the walls and floor. An entire wall was lined with iron bars. I heard voices at the back of the room.

"If I can just-"

"You can't break it. For the love of the gods, it's made of iron."

"You're supposed to be the veteran! You're supposed to be the one telling me not to give up! What happened to you?"

"Admitting defeat isn't being weak. It's a statement of fact." I could tell by now that it was Cassie who was defeated. Diego and her had been close, more than friends. I followed their voices, begging them to keep talking. I stumbled to their cell, knocking on the bars to alert them of my presence.

"Dylan?" Daniella's face appeared against the bars, smokey in the darkness. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. Are you guys okay?"

"How did you get here? We left you on the side of the road." Cassie looked at me skeptically.

"Long story," I eyes the lock that kept them inside the cage. "Do either of you have a bobby pin?" I asked.

"No," Daniella shook her head. Cassie echoed the response.

"Then we'll have to do this the hard way." I placed my hands around the lock and willed myself to find energy somewhere inside me. I pictured the iron twisting, melting off of the bars. The mist responded, curling around me. I focused harder, aware that my body was starting to shake. Bending iron was significantly harder than moving dirt. Daniella gave me a questioning look, but I shut her out, glaring at the metal with every fiber of my being. Tension built between my hands. The lock sprang free, small bursts of mist twirling around.

I hauled the door open, stepping into the cell. "Mist magic," I told Daniella. "That was about my extent of the ability though,"

"Explain it later." Cassie said abruptly. "We need to get out of here." She pushed Daniella through the door, and exited. I stepped forward to follow them. The iron door slammed inward, clanking against the walls of the cage. Cassie turned, shocked. The lock levitated off of the ground, wrapping itself around the door again.

Diego materialized at the other end of the cell. "Did you really think it would be that easy?" He asked snickering. "You thought I was stupid enough to believe you were out of the picture?"

"No, but I came anyway. I'm loyal that way." Diego smiled at me in a way that made my skin crawl.

"Loyalty will kill you every time." He pulled out his choice weapon; a hunting knife lined with imperial gold. Even in the darkness, I could see the stains from Harrison's blood. Anger flared inside me. I raised my sword and charged forward. Diego raised his knife to meet me, but my swing hit empty air. Diego appeared behind me. "Are you really idiotic enough to challenge a child of magic?"

I rushed forward and again, Diego vanished, leaving me to slam against an iron bar. "I want you to know this isn't personal." He hissed. "It's just survival." I felt the air thicken, fog and mist compacting into our cell.

"The key to life isn't just surviving. It's finding something worth dying for." I yelled, throwing my sword in desperation. Diego thrust out his hand and the sword froze in mid-air. Daniella shouted something at him, but I couldn't make it out over the sound of blood rushing through my ears.

"If that's what you believe, Dylan, than I sincerely hope you found that thing," Diego told me. He closed his hand and my sword turned, flying back to me. I kneeled forward, cold stone digging into my hands. I didn't realize I'd been stabbed until Diego wretched the sword out of my shoulder. "Don't feel bad you couldn't beat me. You don't have it in you to kill." He stood up, tossing my sword onto the ground.

"No!" Daniella shouted. Vines erupted from the floor and wall. Diego backed away, his eyebrows bent in surprise. Ivy wrapped around his arms and legs, pulling him off his feet. Under Daniella's glare, the ivy pulled Diego against the wall. He twisted under the vines' grasp, but they held him tight. One made its way to his neck, holding him in a choking grasp. "How's survival now?" Daniella taunted.

"You'll pay for that," he growled. He vanished and didn't reappear near us. Without a target to hold back, the sagging ivy retreated into the walls. With a sigh of relief, my consciousness dissipated.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter...eight?

Tan fabric pulled itself over my vision. Beams of light penetrated the covering and bounced into my eyes. My first thought was that I was camping out. It was a nice delusion, but a delusion none the less. I raised my arm, hoping to block the light and prevent blindness. Instead of the sleeve of my jacket, I saw my bare arm. Now I was passed confused, I was ticked. I better get that jacket back. I sat up to examine my surroundings closer and a small pain echoed through my shoulder. A white bandage wrapped my bicep. I was shirtless, likely because someone had to do serious work to heal it. The strip of canvas that substituted a door shifted and Daniella and Cassie stepped inside.

"Oh, good. You're...um...awake." Daniella stammered. She turned away from me quickly, retrieving something she had left outside. "I brought you some of your things." She dropped a tee shirt and my jacket by my legs. I was grateful to find that whoever had helped me had the decency to leave on my jeans. I felt a little calmer, knowing that Cassie and Daniella

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Cassie asked me, kneeling down next to me.

"I got hurt," I suggested.

"Good job, Sherlock. What do you specifically remember?"

"Not too much. Who is she?" I nodded to Daniella. She went pale, backing away from me like I was an infectious disease. I realized I had made a mistake. "Kidding, kidding. I bit off more than I could chew again, didn't I?"

"Pretty much," Cassie agreed. "I broke into the cell and healed you...kind of."

"Kind of?"

"I'm a legacy, my powers are limited. But I could slow the bleeding enough to move you here."

"And here is?"

"A makeshift camp medical tent, in the middle of our battle camp." Daniella answered. "Speaking of which, I need to talk to Mika about my battle position." She ducked out of the tent, leaving Cassie and I alone.

"Sandra wanted to talk to you. Mika, too." Cassie pushed my shirt closer to me. I shrugged it on as carefully as I could.

"About what?"

"Don't know. Probably about Diego." She led me to a tall tent with a pennant shaped flag on the top. I instantly recognized it as the command center. "When they let you out, do me a favor and talk to Daniella. I had faith in my healing skills, but she didn't."

"Yeah, sure." I hid my confusion behind a wide smile. Sometimes it felt like I had never met Daniella before. Other times, it felt like I knew her too well. I shook away the thoughts as I entered the tent. Mika and Sandra stood over a war map along with a few other centurions. Sandra's hair was pulled back in a pony tail, though a few strands of her bangs fell loose. Blackened skin fell under her eyes, a sign of the sleepless nights she had been through. "Mika, Dylan, we need to talk. The rest of you, catch a break." She waved the others aside and motioned for me to sit down.

"I'm sorry about Harrison. He was a good person," Sandra tapped her fingers on the map.

"I'm sorry about Diego. It must be hard to take something like that." I didn't feel sorry, and Sandra knew it, but she didn't seem to care. Sandra sighed and her gaze retreated into her head, remembering things not even I knew.

"I always knew he was odd. Manipulative. I knew his moral core was compromised at best, but something like this..." She trailed off before clearing her throat. "But at any rate, that's not what this is about."

Mika folded her arms and sized me up. She felt like a stranger. "Harrison was my partner, the second centurion to the first cohort. I don't know why, I'm explaining this to you. You already know it all. Anyway, I can't lead an entire cohort into battle on my own. Someone has to take Harrison's place." She looked pointedly at me.

"Oh...OH."

"Congratulations kid. You just got promoted." Sandra's words were brittle like old wood.

"What about you?" I asked. "Who's going to replace Diego?" Sandra pinched her nose, but her frustration didn't seem pointed at me.

"We don't know yet. There has to be a vote, or someone is raised on a shield after a fight. It's a bit more formal. With any luck, someone will be chosen later today." Sandra didn't mean voted in. It all made sense now, the makeshift tents, the informal promotion, the war map. We were going into battle today.

"Right." I swallowed.

"We go into battle soon. Spend today preparing, strategizing." Sandra told me. "And Dylan, don't be afraid. We chose you for a reason. No one else was close to challenging you."

"Thanks. I'll remember that." I exited the tent feeling more jittery than ever. For the first time in my life, I wasn't just responsible for my safety. I was responsible for over a hundred kids' lives. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to ignore the twinge in my shoulder. I made a mental note to watch it closely during battle.

Daniella was waiting for me in the middle of camp. "What did they want?" She asked me, striding forward to close the gap between us.

"I've been promoted. Moved up the ranks. I'm a centurion now. They chose me to take Harrison's place." I whispered.

"Wow," surprise registered briefly on Daniella's face. "Big day."

"Yeah. Fill me in, what happened while I was out?" Daniella took a deep breath and shuddered.

"It's not pretty, Dylan. It's only been a few hours, but the Crius' army had already gathered. They have every monster imaginable, even a handful of legionnaires like Diego. We're outnumbered."

"How many soldiers do we have?"

"The entire legion, and some reserves."

"Okay. I can work with that." I tried to sound confident, and Daniella went along with it.

"How's your shoulder holding up?"

"Been better, but been worse." I said. Daniella traced her fingers across the padding of my jacket, over where the scar formed.

"Don't do anything like that today." She begged me.

"I won't," I promised.

"Good," Daniella raised herself up to stand toe to toe with me. "Because I'd miss you if you died." I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. I had been denying what I felt for too long. But this whole...feeling was new to me. Camp Jupiter hadn't offered Seduction 101, but right then, in that moment, there was just us. No Diego, no looming army, no impending war. Just Daniella, me, and a thick cloud of emotion I had never felt before.

We broke away and Daniella smiled at me. "You better go tell Cassie about your new position."

"See you tonight," I hugged her. "I'll make sure you're in a safe position for the battle."

"Thanks," she shoved me back. "But seriously, you need to talk to Cassie, about your shoulder at the very least."

"Yes ma'm,"

Cassie maintained a poker face when I told her about the meeting. "You'll be near the front line now. You'll need to watch your shoulder."

"Speaking of positions, where will you be at?"

"Why, planning another visit to the medical tent?" She deadpanned. "All medical personnel will stay close to the back, but we'll move around as the battle requires. As a heads up, your shoulder is still delicate, so stay with someone else in case something goes wrong."

"Got it." I made a mental note to stick by Mika. "Do you mind if I station Daniella next to you?"

"Sure." Cassie shrugged. She handed me a small pouch filled with the powder from a unicorn's horn. It was our healing potion, and only to be used in emergencies. "You might need this." The look in her eyes sent ice slithering down my spine. Even before it began, I knew the battle would be Tartarus.

For someone who didn't have a lick of Apollo's blood in him, I was eerily good at telling the future.


End file.
